Effective principal leadership practices as perceived by beginning and experienced teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of beginning and experienced teachers as they relate to the leadership behaviors a principal should exhibit that would assist teachers in becoming more effective classroom teachers. To accomplish this, a questionnaire was distributed to teacher participants in a school district in Southern Arizona. The teachers were from fifteen schools; tell elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and an alternative school. Teachers taught in grades K-12. Quantitative methodology was used to analyze and describe the responses received from the questionnaires. The questionnaires contained twenty-one general leadership domains as identified by Principals For Our Changing Schools, from the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) (1993). The perceptions of beginning teachers and experienced teachers were compared. The following conclusions were based on the findings of this study: (1) The twenty-one leadership domains, as identified by the NPBEA (1993) were found to be important by both beginning and experienced teachers. (2) The general leadership theme areas, which were made up of the twenty-one leadership domains were also found to be important to both beginning and experienced teachers. (3) There was little difference between beginning and experienced teachers In their perceptions as they relate to the leadership domains that a principal should exhibit that would help them to become effective in the classroom. (4) There were three areas that were found to be significantly different in the perceptions of beginning and experienced teachers, and they are: (1) the principal should provide staff development; (2) the principal should allocate resources, and (3) the principal should exhibit written expression. The findings of this study should be utilized to assist principals to ensure that the leadership behaviors they exhibit are consistent with needs as perceived by teachers in the classroom. The ultimate goal of leadership is to improve the effectiveness of the teacher in the classroom, therefore principals must concentrate on exhibiting those leadership characteristics that will assist in achieving this goal.